Ed Asner

Actor

Born: 15 November 1929

Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas

Best known as: Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Ed Asner won five Emmy awards for portraying the character of Mary Tyler Moore's boss Lou Grant in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977), and a crusading newspaperman for the spin-off series Lou Grant (1977-1982). Asner's public persona is also that of a crusader, a celebrity activist considered left of center. During the 1980s he took on the administration of President Ronald Reagan and earned the enmity of conservative Americans, notably fellow actor/activist Charlton Heston. Asner also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild (1981-85).